Back to the room where it all began

[lonered]

WHO: Dave and Keith. With no supervision yet again.
WHERE: The well.
WHEN: April 2nd
WHAT: Well it started out with looking at a bunch of blank books but some nerds can't sit still for too long
WARNINGS: None yet?



[Honestly, it had started out remarkably responsibly -- considering that Keith was the one who'd suggested it -- a simple meeting up to look over the seemingly blank books that they'd managed to snag from the little hut in the woods before they'd had their asses kicked by shadow creatures.

The problem is, it's not to long before it becomes clear that the books aren't going to be giving up any of their secrets. The pages remain infuriatingly blank.

Keith's patience, despite the fact that he tries so hard to keep Shiro's advice in mind (patience yields focus, patience yields focus, patience yields focus), frays somewhere between white blank pages. And he's quick to suggest something, anything else. The well. Keith has been curious about it since he got here, since admittedly, he had been in quite the hurry to get out of it to begin with.

So that's what finds them, securing a rope (because there is no good world that ends with them trapped down there yelling for help) for the climb down and back up.]

So... this is where we all wound up in the first place. Maybe there's some... I don't know. Clue. Something.

[Keith isn't so optimistic as to think there's a door clearly marked with an exit sign but, well, he doesn't like leaving it unsearched, and by now he trusts Dave -- the other boy is capable and clever, and it isn't lost on Keith that Dave refused to escape and ditch him when he potentially could have, back in the forest.]

Comments

[parodeity]

[ it's unfortunate dave is so easily persuaded to shenanigans, maybe. but he is, and so he's down in the well with keith (he avoided the rope and just flew down, admittedly, but) and he hovers above the water because he's kind of not interested in the wet. ]

I don't think any of us really stuck around to check it out, admittedly. Like, everyone wanted out back then...

[ so, maybe? he can try to be a little optimistic as he hovers left, close to the wall and searching with hands and eyes. ]

[lonered]

[Admittedly Keith wishes he could fly right now, as the water is more than a little chilly. But given that his suit is designed for space travel, he's mostly fine. He's got the mask up, so looks like a colossal alien dork right now, but with it on he can see in the lacking light and that seems useful.

He's making his way along the wall, the opposite direction from Dave. May as well split up to cover more ground.]

...it's kind of messed up that whoever dragged us here decided the best place to drop us was the bottom of a well. Really messed up. So maybe there's a reason for it.

[A door nearby. Some dimensional rift. Something.]

[parodeity]

[ at least dave is used to colossal alien dorks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ]

If there ain't a reason for it that we can find, the only reason left by process of elimination will be "to be a giant bag of dicks", I guess. Would that even be worth learning?

[ so far he has seen no hint of a dimensional rift, alas. ]

[lonered]

[Oh good. So just like home then.]

...suppose so. It'd really piss me off, so. Increased motivation. Or something.

[Yeah no. This could be a dead end. But god he's hoping for a door or a window. Or an anything.]

Honestly the giant bag of dicks theory is plausible with what they've pulled. Clean or your furniture dredges up things no one needs to hear about. Awesome. Couldn't be better. ...how've you been enjoying that?

[Keith has a lot of shattered furniture personally.]

[parodeity]

Oh, you know. I just love hearin' my biggest insecurities hurled at my face on the regular.

[ it's really wryly said. he obviously does Not enjoy that. ]

...Realistically, I know maybe those things ain't true. Or at least people would say they aren't. And if I heard everyone's shit I'd probably say "that isn't how things are". But it is, you know? And you know it. But you just don't think about it, usually.

[lonered]

Yeah, pretty great. My self esteem is at an all time high.

[It's not. He's been beaten down for his stint in the black lion and how the team definitely doesn't need him and may not even notice that he's gone -- even gone permanently as he currently assumes he is or will be once he returns to his universe.]

I think you're right. It's the sort of thing only you'd believe about yourself. But it's hard not to believe it, even when it's not being parroted back to you by some smart-ass end table.

[A shrug as he continues along the wall.] ...so far this looks like a well. I think. Not that I make it a habit to, you know, hang out down wells.

[parodeity]

Yeah, I've yet to find the Scooby Doo stone that swings open a secret passage?

[ UNFORTUNATELY... ]

Beyond bein' way bigger inside than you'd think, it seems kinda normal.

[lonered]

Same. I was really hoping for a secret door.

[High hopes, but Keith gets the feeling that they're going to be dashed on the cold wet stones of the very uneventful well.]

Yeah, definitely bigger than expected. Makes it impressive there's this much standing water... that we're standing in.

[Was that a joke? Even Keith isn't sure.]

[parodeity]

[ standing in, hovering just above...same difference! ]

Same here, actually. I've always kinda wanted to go through a hidden door?

[lonered]

[It is in fact not the same difference, sir. With your fancy flying. And Keith's less than fancy slogging. But slog about he does.]

Yeah, same. Especially now. Any door would do, honestly.

[But. Well.] Whoever brought us here has to be around somewhere, right? I mean, they're definitely watching us. In order to pull the crap they did with the talking furniture... knowing the things they knew. either they're in our heads or they've been watching us for a lot longer than just since we got here.

[parodeity]

I think it's probably both. I mean.......

[ he shrugs. ]

I may be biased there. I've had people snooping around my personal timeline my entire life, so I suppose the idea is like. Well, duh?

[lonered]

Thwf seems like a hell of a thing to get used to. Why are people snooping like that anyway?

[Keith is used to living a fairly unremarkable life. He’s accidentally been swept up in everything really. Except with the discovery that he’s half Galra, that coincidence becomes harder to see as just a coincidence. Either way he’s definitely not used to being spied on.]

[parodeity]

Uh...the trolls, like, had a chat client that used to let them look in on our lives and text message us. Basically they just had time to spare and nothing better to do?

[ also, they were Real Mad. ]

[lonered]

...you realize how much that sounds like this quiznak we’re in the middle of right now, right?

[Special text network some asshole texting them all from god knows where.]

[parodeity]

I mean. Yeah. My life is kind of run on one theme which is "how can we make this stupider".

[lonered]

That's a terrible theme.

[The worst theme, Dave. Maybe try to find a better theme. Like "everything turned out better than expected" or something. Anything.]

So. When you say "trolls" you don't men it as some internet insult. That what they call that sort of people? There's at least one girl here right? [Keith has met Terezi, but he's so used to random and various aliens, the fact that folks aren't human barely registers anymore.]

[parodeity]

I mean, they are also internet trolls - but yeah, there's two. Girls with grey skin and horns?

[lonered]

Yeah, I think met one of them in person. Terezi? She's out of her mind.

[But he says this kind of admiringly.] We might've taken one of the houseboats for a joyride. ...they don't handle jumps super well. So they're who was watching you through this... text thing?

[parodeity]

She sure is. [ but he sounds affectionate? he did date the girl, after all. ] But yeah, they were. There were like, twelve of them? Some crazier than others. Terezi actually like, specialized in stalking me.

[ that sounds bad. ]

[lonered]

...huh. Well. And you're friendly, despite the stalking? The, umm, specialized stalking?

[Dave. Keith is now worried about you. Does he need to worry about you? Do you feel safe at home?]

[parodeity]

Yeah. I mean, we're fairly good friends? We used to date, but it didn't work out.

[ because dave doesn't do alien polyamory ]

[lonered]

Huh.

[See that's telling though. This face, this is the face of someone realizing that Dave may have a thing for crazy girls. Who apparently stalked him. What does that say about Dave? And his judgment??? ...nope Keith still thinks he's good.]

But if they're as stuck here as we are... then it's probably not directly related to what happened to you before. At least not exactly. Right?

[parodeity]

[ tbh dave just has a thing for positive attention... ]

I'm pretty sure it's not related. It's just, like. I'm used to that because of that, I guess?

[lonered]

So you're just... really lucky.

[The luckiest. But. Keith turns to slump against the damp dark awful wall of the well.] But not the surprise secret exit sort of lucky.

[parodeity]

Is luck a word for it...? But yeah, I'm seeing, like. Absolutely fucking nothing, dude. I guess we'd have to look elsewhere if we wanted answers. Unfortunately.

[lonered]

Probably not. Unless we're focusing entirely on bad luck. Then maybe.

[A sigh and Keith looks around.] Empty books and an empty well. Not our best day. But at least nothing attacked.

[You win some you lose some.]

[parodeity]

Yeah, we didn't pass out this time, so I think it's like. Good odds? ...Have you been eating okay?

[ eyeing keith suddenly. ]

[lonered]

That's our bar for success huh...

[Sad. So sad. but no really it's nice they didn't get attacked. It cold have happened. Who knows what could have happened. Not Keith. But he sure is fine just leaping into whatever anyway. It's nice that Dave doesn't seem against this.]

Huh? I mean... I guess I eat?

[parodeity]

Like more than one meal a day, or?

[ dave you can't judge anyone ever ]

[lonered]

...sometimes maybe?

[He must right. Honestly some days he doesn't eat at all, because he's distracted running around town and woods. But. That's not the point here.]

Do you?

[parodeity]

Dude, that was the least convincing answer ever???

[ meanwhile, dave doesn't even answer at all... ]

[lonered]

At least it was an answer.

[He's onto you, Dave.] Didn't hear one from you yet.

[He's also dodging and deflecting so they're both in this dance. Your move, Strider.]

[parodeity]

I'm eatin' the same as I always have done.

[ YOUR TURN, KEITH. ]

[lonered]

Is that a good thing? Have you always been bad at eating? I really feel like you're dodging the question.

[Dodging himself while he mentions this, of course. But he adds,] I'm eating more solid food than I have in a long time.

[parodeity]

I'm not really skilled in the art of the chef.

[lonered]

Yeah me neither. Growing up it was usually... something I didn't have to cook to eat.

[Ask him about meals of cold Chef Boyardee. It's a culinary tragedy really.] And then on the Castle and with the Blade, it's basically food goo and more food goo. So.

At least that was easy. [Here it's "ooh I wonder what's in this old sketchy can" mixed with "a vegetable that tastes like chalk"]

[parodeity]

I grew up on a lot of prepackaged shit that didn't need to be put in the fridge or heated up.

[ THANKS, BRO, FOR THE KITCHEN BEING WHAT IT WAS... ]

I feel like I should maybe get cooking lessons at this point or something though.